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African American women are becoming small business owners at an alarming rate—faster than any other time in history. We recently caught up with Dr. Tajuana Ross, CEO of Get Over Yourself Career and Life Coaching, Inc., to talk about her journey and success as an entrepreneur and the impact that she is making across the country and around the world.

How do you show up for your clients – what do you do in the marketplace?

As an Award-winning Speaker and Award-winning Coach, I get to work with Experts who want to elevate their brand and be seen as an Influencer, without being famous. The framework that I teach allows my clients to go from being the hunter to the hunted.

 

What does your typical client need when they seek you out?

The people who hire me want a brand that’s sought after, and they know their limiting beliefs are holding them back. They want to get out of their comfort zone, and they need a shift in their mindset, so they can see their value.

 

When should someone seek a coach?

Someone needs a Coach as soon as they’ve identified their goal and they’ve attached a date to it. Without a goal and a date, the Coach has nothing to hold their client accountable for.

 

What separates you from the plethora of coaches that already exists?

Coaches are like Doctors – we all need a team of them throughout our lives, for the variety of goals that we have.

Since I’m certified as both a Social Brand Coach and a Life Coach, I get to go deeper than just helping a client build a solid brand on paper. I get to do the inner work with them, enabling them to rock their brand with the kind of confidence that attracts their tribe. My business is named Get Over Yourself, because my superpower is teaching clients how to create a brand that’s in better alignment with their authentic self, while removing the belief system that previously held them back.

 

How do you stay on cutting edge so that you can continually serve your clients?

Clients want access to the people I know, so I serve them by continuously nurturing relationships within my professional network on LinkedIn. Networking is a critical part of business and LinkedIn is where everyone goes for business networking. Leveraging this platform allows me to connect my clients directly with the decision makers, opportunities and resources they need to reach their goals.

 

Can you share two or three success stories from your clients?

One of my clients is currently 15 years old and he’s already a multi-millionaire. He hired me when he was 10, because he had the specific goal of becoming a certified Les Brown Speaker within a year. He made a list of Coaches that could help him build different aspects of his business and he hired all of us. Not only did he hit his goal, but he also traveled to 3 different continents within that year, as a certified Les Brown Speaker. He has since built a well-respected business, teaching adults how to invest in the stock market.

Another client of mine was stuck, making 4 figures per month in their marketing business. After working with me to create a new brand narrative, they took their message to LinkedIn and attracted new corporate clients, as well as speaking opportunities. Their marketing business now makes 6 figures per month, consistently and they’ve started a non-profit foundation.

After a complete overhaul of their brand message, I taught one of my clients how to publish a bestselling book and get paid to speak. They ended up with their book launching on a billboard in Times Square and speaking on stage at Texas Stadium, home of The Dallas Cowboys. We were both named on the list of Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business, by VIP Global Magazine (2021).

 

What is your primary philosophy when it comes to business?

My primary philosophy in business (and in life), is ‘pay it forward’. As a non-parent, I believe that my legacy is built when I teach what I know to others. Every day, I see the result when I watch my clients use what they learned from me to empower their sphere of influence. When we pay it forward, our impact is multiplied.

 

Talk about your recent elevation with an honorary doctorate designation.

Receiving an Honorary Doctorate in Entrepreneurship from the School of Business at Trinity International University of Ambassadors and the Woman of Distinction Award from the United Nations Global Women Foundation were not on my vision board. It never dawned on me that my journey as an entrepreneur would ever be recognized at this level. It only became a reality when a client of mine received her Honorary Doctorate and she decided to ‘pay it forward’ by nominating me.

This honor means so much to me because it specifically recognizes my body of work in business. While the process itself was grueling, the reward has been beyond my wildest dreams. The best part of the experience was having the opportunity myself to pay it forward – I was able to nominate my own Mentors, Coaches and clients for consideration. To watch them grow through the process was pretty rewarding by itself, but to see them walk across the stage and receive their diplomas was the best day of my life.

 

How do you plan to use your honorary status to create even more impact?

My distinctions have already opened doors that allow me to be included in spaces I had never fathomed. The resources and opportunities that I’ve been exposed to have changed the trajectory of my business. Since so many of my clients are also business owners, I look forward to empowering them with more of the tools they need to elevate. My legacy will be seen and felt through the success of my clients.

Connect with Dr. Tajuana on LinkedIn

Photo Credit: Dr. T. Ross